FitSugar

Challenge Your Sense of Balance

FitSugar — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 09:30:00 -0700

Many people take up Yoga as a way to relax, reduce stress and bring a sense of inner calmness. For me, balancing poses are the most effective at reducing the stresses of life because they require all my attention and focus, that I am forced to forget about everything else. Staying in the pose and not falling requires all your effort and concentration. Once you release the pose, you feel an amazing wave of relief and contentment.

Here are some of my favorite balancing poses. Some of them solely challenge your sense of balance, and others also challenge your strength and flexibility. Just click on the name of the pose to learn how to get into them.

Sanskrit Name: Bakasana English Translation: Crane Pose Also Called: Crow
Sanskrit Name: (beginner's) Vasisthasana English Translation: Sage Pose Also Called: Side Plank

Want to see the others? Then read more

Sanskrit Name: Bakasana English Translation: Half Moon Pose Also Called:
Sanskrit Name: Upavishta Konasana English Translation: Seated Angle Pose Also Called: Balancing Wide Legs
Sanskrit Name: Baddha Hasta Sirsasana B English Translation: Bound Hands Headstand Pose Also Called: Double Arm Headstand

Sanskrit Name: Pincha Mayurasana English Translation: Feathered Peacock Pose Also Called: Forearm Stand
Sanskrit Name: Garudasana English Translation: Eagle Pose Also Called: Eagle
Sanskrit name: Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana A English translation: Extended Hand to Big Toe Pose Also called: Standing Hand to Big Toe A

YOGA CHALENGE: Eagle

FitSugar — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 10:15:00 -0800

Here' the latest yoga challenge for you. It's a balancing pose called Eagle. It's great for stretching out your calves, ankles, hips, and upper back. When you're in it, you can imagine that you are perched high above the treetops, looking down upon the gorgeous world.

This is a powerful pose, but requires a calm stillness and a strong drishti to stay up.

Don't be shy - give it a try. I'm looking forward to seeing the photos you post in the YOGA CHALENGE Group.

Click on "Create and Share" on the left-hand side. Then click on "Blog." To add your picture, just click "Add image." Then click "Submit."

Start in Mountain pose (like you're getting ready to do Tree pose).
Shift all your weight into your left foot, and lift your right knee up towards your chest.
Cross your right knee in front of your left knee, and bend both knees slightly, trying to wrap your right toes around the back of your left calf.
Now, keeping your drishti on one point in front of you, cross your right elbow over your left elbow. (Some people cross their left elbow over their right). Work on bringing your right fingertips towards the base of your left palm, and then lift your elbows straight up towards the ceiling.
Stay here for 5 breaths and then do the other side.

That's it. What'd you think? Not too hard, right? Can't wait to see the photos you post.

It was tough to stay balanced. Want to see my yoga bloopers? Then read more

View 8 Photos ›

Stretch It: Eagle Spinal Twist

FitSugar — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 08:00:00 -0800

Spinal twists are one of those stretches I love to do just about whenever. Twisting is great in the morning, after a workout, after eating, at your desk, or even right before bed. I'd like to share a twist variation with you known as the eagle spinal twist; it deepens the twisting motion of the spine and stretches the back more than a regular twist.

Looks inviting, no? You can find out how to get into this stretch when you read more.

Lie on your back and cross your left knee in front of your right knee. If you can, wrap your left toes around the back of your right ankle, just like in Eagle pose.
Now extend your arms out in T-position, palms facing down.
Slowly lower both knees to the left. Rest them on the ground and turn your head to the right.
Stay like this for 30 seconds or more, feeling your spine lengthen and twist. You may even hear some "cracks."
Then use your abs to lift your knees back to center. Untwist your legs and cross them the opposite way, with your right knee in front now. Slowly lower both knees to the right, and look over your left shoulder.
Stay here for at least 30 seconds and then lift your knees back up. Untwist your legs and hug both knees into your chest to release your lower back.

My Spring Equinox Fitness Challenge

FitSugar — Fri, 01 May 2009 03:30:00 -0700

I have been working out with Hannah, a trainer at Equinox Fitness, as part of my Spring fitness challenge. Strength training under her eagle eye has been wonderfully intense. One thing I have noticed is that Hannah consistently hands me dumbbells of a higher weight than I would choose myself. Although the weight is challenging, I can do it and my muscles feel worked by the last rep. She believes that most women choose weights that are too light. Weight training is a great workout and important to both health and weight loss, but don't shortchange yourself. Five-pound weights are not appropriate for all exercises. Next time you work out, choose the next weight up. If you have been using 10-pounders for your biceps curls, try a 12.5-pound dumbbell. You need to challenge your muscles with more weight than they can handle in order for them to grow stronger - weight lifting is a mental game, too! So psych yourself up and challenge your strength.

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A Day in the Life With Saturated Fat

FitSugar — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 09:00:00 -0800

High cholesterol and heart problems run in my family, so I always have an eagle eye out for foods that contain too much saturated fat. This is the type of fat that is unhealthy - the kind your body can live without. It's tough to avoid it though, since so many delicious foods contain it, so take this quiz to find out which foods are the healthiest choices.

Question 1 of 5

It's breakfast time. Which contains the most saturated fat?

More Peanut Butter Involved in Salmonella Scare

FitSugar — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 10:00:00 -0800

Last week we learned that peanut butter might be the culprit in the latest salmonella scare. First, King Nut and Parnell's Pride peanut butter were recalled, but now the list grows as more companies pull their products from the shelves. The FDA has traced the tainted peanut butter to a Georgia plant owned by Peanut Corporation of America, which distributes peanut butter and peanut flavor to numerous companies. Since six people have died from salmonella poisoning, the FDA is taking no chances and advising everyone to stay away from all products containing peanut butter including cookies, crackers, cakes, energy bars, and ice cream.

Some known foods to avoid are Little Debbie snacks, Kellogg Keebler crackers, and some Luna, Clif, and ZonePerfect bars. The companies who make Jif, Smuckers, Eagle Brand, and Peter Pan peanut butter said their products are safe.

For a complete list of products involved in the recall, check out the FDA's website.

Prune belly syndrome

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:45:01 -0700

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

Definition

Prune belly syndrome is a group of birth abnormalities marked by three major findings:

Lack of development of abdominal muscles, causing the skin of the belly area to wrinkle like a prune
Undescended testicles
Urinary tract problems

Alternative Names

Eagle-Barrett syndrome

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

The underlying causes of prune belly syndrome are unknown. It affects mostly boys.

When in the womb, the developing baby's abdomen swells with fluid. That fluid disappears after birth, leading to a wrinkled abdomen that looks like a prune. The appearance is more noticeable because of the lack of enough abdominal muscles.

Symptoms

Club foot or abnormal limbs (rare)
Undescended testicles
Wrinkled skin on belly area

Signs and tests

Expectant mothers carrying affected infants may have varying degrees of oligohydramnios (not enough amniotic fluid), which make the infant likely to have lung problems.

An ultrasound done during pregnancy may show that the baby has a swollen bladder or enlarged kidney.

In some cases, a pregnancy ultrasound may also help determine if the baby has:

Heart problems
Musculoskeletal abnormalities
Stomach and intestinal problems
Underdeveloped lungs

The following tests may be performed on the baby after birth to diagnose the condition:

Blood tests
Intravenous pyelogram (IVP)
Ultrasound
Voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG)
X-ray

Treatment

Surgery is commonly done to repair genital and bladder problems.

The baby may be given antibiotics to treat or help prevent urinary tract infections.

Expectations (prognosis)

Prune belly syndrome is a serious and often life-threatening problem.

Many infants with prune belly syndrome are either stillborn or die within the first few weeks of life from severe lung or kidney problems, or a combination of birth problems.

Some newborns survive with varying degree of recurring problems.

Complications

Complications depend on the related problems. The most common are chronic kidney failure and club foot.

Calling your health care provider

Prune belly syndrome is usually diagnosed before birth or at the time of birth.

If you have a child with diagnosed prune belly syndrome, call your health care provider at the first sign of a urinary tract infection or other urinary symptoms. If, before birth, your baby is seen to have a distended bladder or enlarged kidneys on prenatal ultrasound, seek the advice of a specialist in high-risk pregnancy or perinatology.

Prevention

There is no known guaranteed prevention. If a prenatal diagnosis of urinary tract obstruction is made, in rare cases surgery performed during the pregnancy may help prevent the problem from progressing to prune belly syndrome.

Review Date: 10/11/2007

Reviewed By: Deirdre O’Reilly, MD, MPH, Neonatologist, Division of Newborn Medicine, Children’s Hospital Boston and Instructor in Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Review Provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

A.D.A.M. Copyright

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997-2009 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

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Healthy Does Link Time!!!!!!

FitSugar — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 13:30:00 -0700

3 Fat Chicks reviews the book The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth.

fitPod's new mix is 45+ minutes that will get your feet and heart moving.

Vitabeat is on top of tainted drugs and food from China, even though the FDA may not be.

Back in Skinny Jeans gets to the bottom of vanity sizing of celebrity clothing lines and retailers.

Over at About:Yoga, Eagle Pose - Garudasana is the Yoga Pose of the Week.

The Weighting Game lets us know that nobody is perfect when it comes to our own bodies and emotional speed bumps are OK.

iFit&Healthy lets us in on how Tiffany (yes, the I think I'm alone now, Tiffany) recently lost a bunch of weight.

The Skinny Website is not happy over Kelly Clarkson's photoshopped spread in Elle, are you?

About: Low Fat Cooking answers the question: Can I eat shrimp while on a low fat diet?

Health Bolt is talking sex and the 5 things we've probably got all wrong.

That's Fit wonders if Pizza is diet heaven or diet hell.

Complete Running wants to know why you ran your first marathon.

Diet-Blog reports that Weight Watchers in Australia has trans fats! WTF?!

Which Would You Rather Do?

FitSugar — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 04:00:00 -0700

OK ladies. Going to the Gynecologist and spreading eagle in a paper dress for a pap smear and breast check can be totally unpleasant. While you're strapped into those stirrups, you've got to love all those personal questions too, like "Do you suffer from vaginal dryness?" and "Are your periods heavy or light?" (sigh) I dread going every year. By far, it's not my favorite way to spend an afternoon.

On the other hand, going to the dentist isn't top on my list either. You get poked, prodded, and drilled with metal instruments while you're forced to keep you mouth wide open for unnatural amounts of time. Don't forget about being stuffed with wads of cotton - that's always fun. My dentist always asks me questions that I can never answer because my mouth is wide open. And how about that anesthesia? You can't eat or drink anything without it ending up dripping down the side of your face. My jaw is always so sore the next day too. Do we really have to go twice a year?

They both are no picnic, each is important for maintaining your health - but which would you rather do?

Favorite Crow Pose

FitSugar — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 09:02:00 -0800

Thank you to kevindineen, suzanne and her husband (grandfather of 9) for trying out Crow pose. You were all awesome, but the award must go to the person who took the challenge and ran with it!.

birdwoman tried Crow pose and took it to a whole other level and showed us her Side Crow. I was so amazed at her balance, grace, and beauty. She made it look like she was floating in space without a care in the world. Talk about inspirational.

And now let's get ready for the latest Yoga challenge called Eagle pose.

Give this balancing pose your best shot and submit your photos to the IYOGA CHALLENGE group. Your picture could be my next favorite.